European Court of Human Rights rules Russia should pay Georgia for 2008 war

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Friday that Russia should pay compensation to Georgia in connection to a war the two countries fought in 2008.

“Cessation of the Russian Federation’s membership of the Council of Europe, and that the respondent Government’s failure to cooperate did not present an obstacle to their examination,” said the court’s decision, referring to Moscow’s withdrawal from the council last September, meaning that it is likely to disregard the human rights court ruling.

Among other things, for not investigating the death of hundreds of civilians in South Ossetia and the buffer zone and preventing some 23,000 Georgian citizens’ return to their homes in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia was fined to pay €129 million ($141 million) within three months.

In 2008, a five-day conflict referred to as the South Ossetia conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia concerning the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Tbilisi ultimately lost control of the areas and Russia later recognized them as independent states.

Georgia cut off diplomatic relations with Russia in response, after which Switzerland took up the role of a mediator country.

Both regions remain internationally recognized Georgian territories.

*Written by Ahmet Gencturk​​​​​​​